Page 166 of Scrum Heat

They just…orbit.

Jax sits close; always watching, always steady. His bond hums quietly against mine—strong and anchoring, like a hand pressed to my ribs.

As usual, Finn’s the loudest, chattering about nonsense—memes, his brothers, a guy on the B team who apparently tried to bench-press a barbell with one arm after a few too many beers and almost needed stitches. Theo laughs along with Finn as he plays with my hair; twisting it around his fingers and humming quietly under his breath.

“I still don’t get it,” I say eventually, voice quiet. “Why her? Why do something like this?” I shake my head. “It’s not just controlling. It’s cruel.”

“Some people think they’re protecting you by tearing you down first,” Rory sighs. “Convincing you they’re the only safe choice.”

“Or that love means shaping you into something they understand,” Theo adds. His voice is soft, but there’s steel under it. “Even if they have to carve parts of you away.”

It makes my throat ache, but it’s not the words that wreck me. It’sthem.

All of them.

Every Alpha I’ve ever needed, every comfort I didn’t think I could have; and I feel it.

Theheat.

Not rut, or heat in the usual sense—butwant.

Not for distraction, not even for comfort, but because it’s them.

Because they’re here, and I love them so much it makes my bones ache.

I shift slowly, stretching out on the couch, and four pairs of eyes track the movement.

“I don’t want to think about her anymore tonight,” I tell them.

Theo’s gaze darkens. “Okay.”

“I want something else. I wantyou.” I sit up, my heart hammering. “All of you.”

Rory blinks. “You sure?”

I nod once.

“I don’t want a distraction,” I say. “I want my pack.”

*

One thing leads to another.

At least that’s what I tell myself, anyway.

I didn’t exactly plan to end up spread out on the kitchen table; but then again, I didn’t plan on bonding four alphas, on living in this town, or being a part of this this pack—

Or loving them so hard it feels like something that lives in my bones.

And Idefinitelydidn’t plan on Theo pulling my panties down in the middle of the kitchen, patting the edge of the table, and encouraging me up with a “Come on, sweetheart—up you go.”

But here we are.

The wood is cool beneath my back, my thighs spread wide and open, and there’s a hand on each knee keeping meexactlywhere they want me.

The thing about Theo is that he’salwaysfirst. Always the most impatient, the most shameless. He’s the one settled between mythighs, his voice a constant thread of filthy praise as he teases me.

“You said you wanted your pack,” he grins.

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